Locking device for mail-chute panels



NOV; 1929. H. M. KENNEDY 1,736,917

LOCKING DEVICE FOR MAIL GHUTE PANELS Filed July 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENIIOR HusHMxaNNeIoY ATTORNEY H. M. KENNEDY LOCKING DEVICE FOR MAIL CHUTE PANELS Nov. 26, 1929. 1,736,917

Filed July 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m NTOR BEEN-KENNEDY FIG-8 Ira BYJ

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 26 1929 PTNT orria HUGH M. KENNEDY, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA LOCKING DEVICE FOR MAEL-CHUTE PANELS Application filed July 5, 1927. Serial No. 203,501.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail chutes for conveying mail from the upper floors of a building to a mail receptacle below.

The object of the invention is to provide a mail chute, the parts of which may be easily mane and assembled and in which easily manipulated means are provided to allow access to the interior of the chute for cleaning, or clearing tne same of any mailing matter which should become lodged in any part of the chute other than the receptacle.

According to my invention 1 provide a chute of channel shaped cross section which is set into the wall. of a building. The chute has inwardly projecting guides formed integral therewith and adapted to position removable panels which form the front of the chute. The panels are pivotally suspended from their upper ends and rest on cross or spacer bars formed integral with or made separate from the chute. To hold the lower edges of the panels in place, locking bars are provided and said locking bars are so secured to cross bars that they may be moved in a horizontal direction towards, or away from, the chute or in a vertical direction longitudinally of the chute, so that said locking bars may be quickly and easily removed to allow easy access to the panels for removal of same.

in the drawings which illustrate my invention Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of my improved chute with the distance between the panels shortened by showing same with broken lines.

Figure 2 is a part sectional side elevation taken on the line 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the chute taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a part front sectional elevation of the locking bar showing the pins for attachino: it to the cross bars.

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 5-5 Figure 4.

vFigure 6 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line (S-6 Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation shove 'a fairly good grip of the panels.

ing the manner of suspendir g the panels from the top of the chute. Figure 8 is a sectional side elevation showing the connections to the mail boX.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates the chute which is of channel-shaped cross section provided with inwardly projecting guides 12, which may be formed integral with the chute and near the front thereof. The chutes fit into a recess 13 formed in the wall 14. The chute is preferably made in sections and joining each section are the intermediate spacer or cross bars 1 1, which encircle the chute and form a means for attaching the chute to the wall. The spacer bars 1 1 extend across the front of the chute at spaced intervals in the longitudinal or vertical direction of the chute and are pro-- vided with downwardly and inwardly projecting guards 15, to prevent the mail from contacting with the upper ends of the panels hereinafter described. T e panels are each made of a frame 16 having a central portion 17 of glass, or other transparent material. The upper portions 18 of the frames 16 are provided with beadings 19 adapted to rest on downwardly projecting supporting members 20 secured to the spacer or cross bars. The members 20 have each an inwardly projecting portion 21 or ridge, which engages with the underside of the beading 19 in such a manner that the panel may be swung outwardly. The beading extends partially across the face of each panel and rests on the ridge which also extends partially across the cross bar, and the beading and ridge co-operate to hold the panel in suspension and in such a manner that it may be easily removed from the face of the chute.

The lower part 22 of the panel is recessed to allow the fingers of the operator to obtain Centrally of the spacer bars are the lock receiving members 23 which may be formed integral with the bars or mounted thereon. copings 2 1 and 25 are used for covering the upper and lower portions of the panels and, also, the upper spacer bar and the lower spacer bar 26. Extending outwardly from each side of the chute are the lugs 27 which Ornamental u are slotted to receive pins 28' secured to the locking straps 29. The slots 30 extend vertically of the chutes, so that the locking straps 29 may be moved vertically to clear the edges of the panels in proximity thereto. The centres of the slots have inwardly projecting recesses 33 to allow the straps to be pushed inwardly to engage with the adjacent ends of the panels, and locks 31 are provided centrally of and secured to the locking straps to engage with the lock receiving members mounted on the snacerbars. Recesses 32 are also provided at the top of the slots so that the pins 28 may rest therein to position the locking bar so that it will hold the upper panels in place while the lower panels are being examined or put in place. It will be seen that the locking straps are mounted in the lugs so that they may be moved towards or away from the chute in a horizontal direction, and they can also be moved vertically in the slot to clear the edges of the panels. The lugs may be formed integral with the cross bars, or they may be secured to the side of the chute in any suitable manner.

In operation it will be seen that by unlocking the locking straps, they may be drawn outwardly away and allowed to drop vertically on to the b0ttom 34 of the slots leaving the lower parts of the panels clear as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, so that the operator may insert his fingers in the recesses on the lower parts of the panels and swing them outwardly about their pivots, so that easy access to the chute may be readily obtained for clearing away any obstructing mail or for cleaning purposes. The device is very simple in operation and provides an eflicient means which allows the panel frames to be made similar in construction and size, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture of such frames to a minimum, as well as providing a means which allows quick access to the chute andeasy assembly of same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a mail chute of channel form provided with inwardly projecting guides, removable panels in said chutes and suspended from the cross bars secured to the chutes, lugs secured to the cross bars and extending outwardly from the chute, locking straps slidable in slots formed in the lugs to move in a direction parallel to the chute, said slots having a centrally disposed recess to allow the straps to be moved towards the cross bar to hold the adjacent ends of the panels in the chute, and locking means for securing the locking strap to the cross bar.

2. In a mail chute of channel form, inwardly projecting guides formed integral with. the chute, panels pivotally suspended in the chute and adapted to rest on cross bars from the base of the panel my hand.

HUGH M. KENNEDY. 

